Building material



March 30, 1937.

J. ToMr-:Ac

BUILDING MATERIAL Filed Aug. 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l all.

INVENTOR. Jaim Tomec.

A TTORNE Y.

March 30, 1937. J. TOMEC BUILDING MATERIAL Filed Aug. 3, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 2 m. w m N I John Tomec. @MM/M.

ATTORNEY Figi? Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES BUILDING MATERIALJohn Tomec, Trenton, N. J.

Application August 3,

11 Claims.

My invention relates to building materials and particularly toconstructions adapted to be embodied in products such as shingles,sidings, and the like for use on the exterior of a building or 5 inWallboards, panels or the like for use on the interior of a building. Myinvention is also adapted for use as a base to which stucco, plaster,cement or composition materials may be applied in the construction ofWalls, ceilings, roofs or io iioors which are built up in place.

'Building materials such as wall boards, shinh1 sies and tidings as wellas built up roofs flooring have been produced heretofore in which thereis a base member or backing to which. one

i5 or more layers of material such as cement, asphait or stucco areapplied. The exposed sur@ :faces of suoli products in some instances arewith or given, a design or appearance to simulate brick, stone, tile, orother comrentionai fr@ building materi While suoli noducts are made ingreat vam :tiety of 4forms from many different mate riale there is a'tendency for the products to warp or for one or more layers to crack,peel off, or buckle clue to unequal expansion and' con 'traction of thelayers oi. material. When products are secured in place diierencesinexpansion and contraction, of the products themselves and the structureto which they are ap- ?c plied frequently cause strains in the materialwhich result .in cracking, warping, Abuckling or peeling of the product.Furthermore such products are relatively expensive and any thiol:- eningci one or more layers to reduce warping so and cracking serves toincrease the weight, bulli K and cost of the product still further anddoes not always overcome the difculties inherent in such constructions,

In accordance with my invention these diffi- 40 culties anddisadvantages in prior constructions are overcome and a light, durableand inex- 1 pensive product is produced. The products preferablycomprise a plurality of layers which are r capable of limited movementwith respect to a 4" base or backing or with respect to the structure towhich they are applied. Further, my invention embodies novel methods andmeans for securing the surface or wear receiving layer to a backing orstructure by which it is carried.

One of the objects of my invention is to proma vide a novel type ofbuilding material which is light, durable and inexpensive.

Another object of my invention is to provide 55 building material formedof a plurality o! lay 1935, Serial No. 34,510

ers which are capable of limited movement with respect to a base orsupporting structure.

A further object of my invention is to provide a building unit embodyingmeans serving to taire up differences in expansion and. contraetiou ofportions of the unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel form of retainingmeans by which cement, plaster, stucco, asphalt or other materials maybe secured to a backing or support.

Stili another object of my invention is to re duce or eliminate warping,cracking and buckling of building units and the These and other objectsand features oi my invention will appear from the following denscriptioo thereof in which reference is made to the accompanying1figures oi the drawings Wi'ieren in illustrative embodiments oi myinvention are shown.

in the drawings:

i is perspective a building unit ems bodyirig invention with partethereof brom lien away;

2 is vertical sectional view ci? the cori struction illustrated in Fig.l teiten on the line Zwii;

Fig. il is e. perspective oi an alternative form. oi retaining meansthat may be used. in the coristructiori oi products embodying myinvention;

Fig. 'i is a sectional View oi the construction of Fig. It teiten on theline tml;

Fig. 5 is a perspective o?? a further alternative form of productembodying my invention with parts broken away Fig. (i is a sectionalview of my invention as used in .forming a built up structure such as awall or roof;

Fig. 'l is a perspective of a lieizible construction embodying myinvention with parts broken away; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of a further alternativeconstruction embodying my invention.

poses of illustration in Figs. 1 and 2 of the draw ings my invention isshown as embodied in a unit such as siding material or the like to beapplied to the exterior of a building."V The unit com prises a basemember or backing 2 which may be formed of any suitable material such asa pre formed sheet of paper, cardboard, plaster board, fiber board,cement-asbestos material, gypsum board or the like. The base may be ofany desired weight or thickness and may be formed to give the productheat or sound insulating proper- In that form of my invention chosen forpur or to pro lstance u ve the ldre -crater in forni. relatively Wearrece ng .lie retaining means which t.. layer in the con- C, is formed cia upper sheet il. IThese r periorations ill the' overlap or extendbeyond perforations oi the lower sheet ging edges thus provided permitthe und the edges of the apertures in the upper e" so as to hold thesurface layer iirrnly or otherwise as desired. lhe second layer made thesheets il and G is secured in turn to the l in same or any othersuitable manner to provide a unitary product. Preierably the retainingmeans or adjacent layers of the product are of a yielding orcompressible nature and yet suficiently strong to provide adequetesupport for the surface layer. Typical. of such materials are cardboard,pulp board, iiber board, wire mesh or expanded metal constructions andthe like.

The surface layer il may be formed oi a plastic or other composition thenature of which will depend largely upon the character of the product tobe produced. When forming a rigid sheet or unit the layer d may beformed of cement, plaster, stucco or other setting material applied in aplastic condition so that it will dow into and through the openings i@in the upper sheet 8 and into the rear of the edges of the openings soas to provide an expanded or overhanging retaining portion extendingbeneath the upper sheet of the retaining means.

Products embodying my invention may be formed as flexible or semi-rigidsheets or units comparable with asphalt saturated felt products by theuse of a suitable surface layer which may be formed of a compositionsuch as linoleum, bitumen, pitch or asphalt and may have granulatedslate or the like embedded or incorporated therein. The exposed surfaceof either flexible or rigid constructions may be embossed or otherwiseformed to give the desired appearance and may be made to simulate brick,stone, shingles or the like as needed or preferred. The embossingoperation also serves to force the material of the surface layer throughthe perforations in the sheet E and into contact with the base memberespecially when the location of the depressed areas and perforationscoincide.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the retaining means may be formed by providingrelatively large apertures or openings I2 in the lower sheet I4 andsmaller openings I6 in the upper sheet I8. Each of the openings i6 thusoverhangs the edges of the corresponding openings I2 in the lower sheet75 on all sides thereof. The openings I6 are thereformed ci suitable coIY cross cited, et.. or roughened to receive plaster or stucco. up inmanner i secured in place on l or buil Thereafter l meisten the surfaceand layer of stucco or pia-ster surface.

if the roughened layer il@ formed to simulate a matte bi struction itmay be used directly without the finish layer 22 so that the same unitcan be used throughout the building both inside and out and the desiredinish applied as desired to any sur- :face or portion to give anattractive and suitable appearance.

In Eg. 6 oi the dra-Wings, l have illustrated a construction adapted foruse in forming a built up floor, Wall or roof. The base layer Zilli maybe wooden sheeting, tar paper, building paper or the like Whereas theretaining means ib may be any of those shown or described in connectionwith Figs. l, 2 or i or of any other suitable or preferred construction.The surface layer 2li may loe a suitable bituminous cement or concretemixture, a linoleum composition or other material adapted for use oniloors, walls or roofs to give the necessary or desired wearingcharacteristics and appearance.

The construction of Fig. 7 is designed for use as siding, roofing andthe like and embodies a backing @il oi light paper, saturated felt orthe like. The retaining means comprises two layers 32 and 34 whereas thesurface layer is made up or" the composition 36 having granular materialembedded therein. As shown the edges of the material may be formed toprovide a suitable overlap by constructing the edges 38 of the backing3U and the lower layer 32 of the retaining means so that they projectbeyond the adjacent edge of the upper layer 3d of the retaining meansand the surface layer 3G.

The opposite edges 40 of the upper layer 34 of the retaining means andthe surface layer 36 extend beyond the adjacent edges of the lower layer32 and the backing 30. The units may thus be laid with the edgesoverlapping and secured by pitch or cement or by pressing the partstogether so as to cause the upper and lower layers of the retainingmeans to be rmly bonded togather.

In each of the forms of my invention described it will be noted that thematerial or composition of the surface layer is not bonded directly tothe base member or backing so that limited relative movement of thesurface layer and of the backing can take place and any strains whichwould otherwise cause warping, cracking or buckling of the products aretaken up by the retaining means and are not transmitted to the otherelements of the construction. Thus for example it is possible to producelight and inexpensive products with a suitable thin sheet of material asa backing and to use cardboard or expanded metal as the retaining means,securing aovasvs the retaining means to the hase by staples, adhesive orcement. il. suitable surface layer of an entirely different characterfrom the base can then he applied to the retaining means, and anyexpansion or contraction lthereof will be relieved hy compression ornexing of the relatively light and ilexilole retaining means, In thisway a durable product is provided and warping or cracking thereof isreduced or eliminated altogether. The difficulties inherent in heavier,and more expen-s sive products are thereby overcome and a verylnexpensive, light Weight product produced.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. ii oi the drawings, theconstruction is simplliied hy .forming the hase d'2 of the material witha corrugated or indented surface and using only a sheet i4 of perforatedmaterial with the opening it therein located alcove the indentations orcorrugations it in the hase. ln this way a space is provided beneath theedges of the openings into which material of the surface layer 5d mayextend. The hase may he formed oi' plaster hoard or the like or may hemade oi saturated ielt 'to provide either a iiexiloie or rigid product.it should however, have suiiicient body to insure the presence of spacesbeneath the edges of the openings it during formation of the sheet oruntil the surface layer has heen applied thereto.

The size of the hase may he varied as desired and can conveniently hemade in sizes to he applied either to the floor ci a room or to he usedas shingles upon a roof. The sheet 44 may he rnade of very thin sheetmetal to give strength and iire resistant properties to the product. Atthe same time the product may be flexible due to the iiexiloility of thesheet material. If preerred the sheet may loe made of paper, cardvhoard, or other material as desired and the surface layer may loe madeof a plastic setting material to produce a rigid product or of a exiblematerial such as asphalt, rubber or other suitable material with orWithout slate or granular material thereon.

As shown in Fig. 8, the surface layer may loe continuous as shown intheportion A and may loe plaster, stucco or other material. The surfacelayer may in the alternative be formed as in the portion B of Fig. d togive a stone or tile edect wherein the parts lit and 5t of the surfacelayer are of different color or composition and an. intervening portionlit is provided which may he ush with the suriace ci the parts 52 and t4hut of a different color or appearance to simulate mortar or cement.Further the portions of the surface layer may he embossed orotherwiseformed as shown at 5t in the portion C of Fig. t to give otherdecorative effects as desired.

This type or' product is not only relatively in= expensive to producehut can be made very rapidly and easily to provide a Wide range ofattractive and useful products.

While I have illustrated and described certain typical embodiments of myinvention as applied to building units and built up constructions itshould be clearly understood that my invention is capable of use in agreat variety of forms and may embody any of a great variety ofmaterials. For this reason I do not wish my invention to be interpretedas limited to those forms thereof specifically referred to herein exceptas deilned by the claims.

I claim:

l. Building material embodying two sheets each formed with openingstherein, the openings in one sheet having the edges thereof overlappingthe edges of the openings in the other sheet and a plastic layer ofvvear receiving niaterial applied to and covering the suriace of onesheet only and extending through the openings in said sheet and into theopenings in the other sheet.

2. Building material comprising a hacking, tivo layers or materialcarried by said hacking and each formed with openings therethrough, theopenings in one sheet having the edges thereof overlapping the edges ofthe "openings in the other sheet and material applied to one of saidsheets extending through the openings therein and into the openings inthe other sheet and ooniined therein icy said hacking.

3. Building material having embodied therein two sheets oi material eachof which has open ings ieri/ned therein, said sheets heine; positionedwith the edges of the openings in one sheet overs lapping the edges ofthe openings in the other sheet and material applied to one of saidsheets extending through the openings therein and into openings in theother sheet and extending behind an edge oi the openings in the rstsheet and a sheet ci hacking rnaterial enclosing the openings in saidsecond sheet and covering material extending into the openings therein.

Building material in the forno of a iiat sheet adapted to loe used aswall locardor siding material having embodied therein two sheets ofmaterial each ol which has openings formed there in, said sheets loeingpositioned with the edges of the openings in one sheet overlapping theedges of the openings in the adjacent sheet and plastic material appliedto one sheet extending through the openings therein and into theopenings in the adjacent sheet and expanded into interlocking relationWiththe edges of the openings in the ilrst sheet and a sheet oz hackingmaterial secured to said other sheet and enclosing the openings therein.

5. Building material comprising a thin layer of hackingl material havingtwo sheets of material carried by said hacking and each formed withopenings therethrough, the openings in one sheet having the edgesthereof overlapping the edges of the openings in the other sheet and a.wear resisting layer carried hy one of said sheets and extending intosaid openings.

o. Building material comprising a, backing formed of paper, two sheetsof material substantially heavier than said hacking to which saidhacking is secured, each of which sheets has openings iorrned therein,said sheets heing positioned with the edges o the openings in onev sheetoverlapping the edges ci the openings in the other sheet and plasticmaterial applied to one sheet extending through the openings therein andinto the openings in the adjacent sheet and expanded into interlockingrelation with the edges of the openings in the nrst sheet.

7. A structural unit comprising two apertured layers of material, theopenings in said layers being in communication and those of one layerbeing smaller than those in the other, material applied to that layerhaving the smaller openings extending therethrough into the openings inthe other layer.

8. Building material comprising a sheet formed with openings therein andan overlying member having smaller openings therein communicating withthe openings in said sheet and a plastic layer of Wear receivingmaterial applied to one sheet extending through the openings in saidsheet and into the openings in the other sheet.

9. A rigid building unit comprising a backing, two layers each formedwith openings therein,

the openings in one sheet having the edges thereo overlapping the edgesof the openings in the 5 other sheet and a layer of cementitiousmaterial applied to one layer and extending into the' openings in theother.

10. A building unit comprising a base member, a sheet of materialoverlying said base mem- 10 ber and formed with openings therein, meanson said base member providing spaces beneath said openings extendingbeyond the edges thereof and aorasvs

